Rail-bond.



UNITED STriTns PATENT Fries.

ELMER I). MORRIS, OF EAST ORANGE, NEV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO MORRIS ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NEIN YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEYV JERSEY.

RAIL-BOND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 710,794, dated October 7, 1902.

Application lilcd July 9,1901. Serial No. 67,633. (No model.)

To all whom, t 77mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER P. Monnis, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of East Orange, county of Essex, State of New Jersey, (and whose post-oflice address is No. 'l5 Oortlandt street, New York, N. Y.,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Bonds, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in rail-bonds, the object being to add to the strength and durability of the article and also to improve the contact with the web of the rail.

My rail-bonds are used in the well-known manner to electrically connect the adjoining extremities of railwayrails by means of a bond of metal of higher conductivity than the rails in order that the latter may be utilized as conductors of electricity.

The bond comprises a flexible body portion, the extremities of which are permanently secured to solid heads formed with shanks that are fitted into holes in the rails to be connected and there vexpanded until firmly secured.

The invention relates particularly to the manner of attaching the conductor. to its heads, whereby the ends thereof form parts of the contactsurfaces of the Shanks, as will appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view in elevation showing one end of a railbond with its terminal in section, the terminal being applied thereto but not secured. Fig. 2 is an end view of the terminal, as shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a viewin elevation showing one end of the finished rail-bond, the terminal being in section. Fig. 4c is an end view of the bond shown in Eig. 3. Fig. is a sectional elevation showing a. fragment of a rail with a bond-terminal applied thereto.

In the drawings, A isa solid metallic terminal preferably formed by casting and com` posed of metal of high electrical conductivity, usually copper. The terminal A comprises the head or expanded outer part, which is integral with a hollow sleeve or neck b, which extends laterally therefrom, and B is a shank which is a continuation of the head but of reduced diameter, the head extending somewhat from the upper part of the shank in the form of a liangc. As indicated in Fig. l, the neck h is formed at an angle to the head a and shank B, so that the opening D in the neck when extended through the head and shank passes partly through the head and partly through the shank, issuing upon the outer side of the shank under the lower edge of the head ct.

The body of the bond consists of a section of any desired length of a conductor which is subdivided to secure flexibility and is preferably in the form of stranded copper cable C. The extremity of the cable C is inserted in the tubular opening D, extending through the terminal A, in which it is permanently secured, as by welding, in the well-known manner-for instance, as follows: The end E of the cable C is treated with a llux, borax being suitable. It is then inserted in the terminal A the full length of the opening D therein. The terminal, with the cable attached, is then brought to a welding heat when it is removed from the fire and the weld completed by hammering, as is usual. Instead, however, of using ordinary hand-hammers and swaging-tools I prefer to insert the terminal while hot into a die of standard size and to then apply the pressure of a drop-hammer or other suitable press to close up the interstices and solidify and shape the head of the bond and to bring the shanks to the desired uniform size. During this operation the neck l) and the conductor within it are bent over until substantially at right angles with the shank B, and the ends of the conductor E are compressed into conformity with the surfaces of the body of the shank. These remain, however, exposed and form a portion of the exterior or contact-surface of said shank, so as to come into direct contact with the metal of the rail when the shank is fitted therein.

In View of the fact that metals cannot be raised above the welding heat without being injured or partly fused and that some heat is lost in transferring the hot bond from the furnace to the press or hammer, it sometimes happens that while to all intents and purposes a perfect joint is made no actual union of the metalsthe ends of the body portion and the ICO terminals-has actually taken place,although they may be in very close and intimate contact. Under such circumstances by extending the end of the body portion into the shank or rivet of the terminal not only is a much stronger connection made and one which Would be less liable to be pulled apart, but at the same time an integral portion of the body part ot the bond is exposed in position to be brought into metallic contact with the metal of the rail, thus giving to what might otherwise be an imperfect bond, so direct an electrical connection with the rail as to overcome any unsuspected defects of construction, which with preceding forms could not be discovered until after the bond had been applied and used.

The rail-bond is applied to the rails to be connected in any desired manner-for instance, as indicated in Fig. 5, in which F is a part of the Web of a rail in an opening in which the shank B of the terminal A has been inserted and swaged or upset until it is tightly secured therein. The extended under edges of the head ct of the bond rest closely against the rail, and the ends of the conductor C Which are incorporated into the shank are also in close contact therewith.

Some minor modifications may be made in view of the foregoing. The neck of the terminal may be varied in length or thickness and the opening D be made to extend farther down in the shank, if desired, so as to expose more of the conductor C to contact with the rail; but this I consider would be Within the scope of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim isl. A rail-bond comprising a exible body portion having terminals attached to its ends, i

and extending to the exterior of the latter and adapted to receive and be secured to the extremities of the body portion, whereby the extremities of said body portion form parts of the exposed or Contact portions of the Shanks of the terminals.

3. A rail-bond comprising solid heads each having a shank for engaging an opening in and making contact with the rail and formed with a transverse aperture passing through the head and the upper portion of the shank, and a body portion composed of exible conductors the ends of said body portion permanently secured in the openings in the heads and Shanks and forming portions of the contact-surface of the shanks.

Signed by me at New York, N. Y., this 8th day of July, 1901.

ELMER P. MORRIS.

Witnesses:

FRANKLAND J ANNUs, H. F. SANVILLE. 

